Like many <a href="http://inhabitat.com/puerta-umbria-a-shimmering-new-high-speed-rail-station-for-huelva-spain/" target="_blank">southern Spanish cities</a> once populated by the Moors, Murcia draws much of its charm from ruins and<a href="http://inhabitat.com/nyc/high-line-structural-engineering-elevating-the-design-of-new-yorks-preserved-rail/" target="_blank"> preserved structures</a> built centuries ago, but the disrepair of some of these buildings can end up overshadowing their beauty. Faced with one of these decaying structures, <a href="http://www.clavel-arquitectos.com/user/index.php" target="_blank">Spanish architects Clavel Arquitectos</a> transformed a crumbling Murcia attic into a <a href="http://inhabitat.com/jds-rolling-birkegade-rooftop-park-playground-graces-top-of-copenhagen-penthouses/" target="_blank">futuristic penthouse apartment</a>. Using a system of "living bubble" rooms and <a href="http://inhabitat.com/the-national-gallery-in-london-honors-van-gogh-with-worlds-first-living-wall-painting/" target="_blank">extensive living walls</a> Clavel created a contemporary version of the hanging gardens of Babylon which preserves a piece of history while bringing a flash of the 21st century to Murcia.

1

Clavel Arquitectos- Refurbished Murcia Penthouse Exterior

The penthouse is affected by strict zoning that limited modifications to the locations of existing exterior walls.

The existing layout consisted of a tight, double loaded corridors with minimal openings, leaving residents uneasy when entering the rooms on either side.

3

Clavel Arquitectos- Refurbished Murcia Penthouse Diagram

In order to create a more comfortable spatial configuration, the architects designed a system of "habitable bubbles." By covering and breaking the existing outer walls, and replacing them with extensive glazing that curves seamlessly around corners, the architects blur the boundaries between inside and out.

4

Clavel Arquitectos- Refurbished Murcia Penthouse Rooms

Each bubble houses a different use, including dining, living, bedrooms, and toilets.

5

Clavel Arquitectos- Refurbished Murcia Penthouse Plan

The lack of room within the interior hallway is resolved by utilizing the shape of these living bubbles, and "popping" them at key locations. At a central intersection between two corridors each adjacent living bubble chamfers at its corner, creating cohesive volumes for each room and expanding the interior circulation space.

6

Clavel Arquitectos- Refurbished Murcia Penthouse Interior

At the same intersection, the living room corner is removed, further opening up the space and guiding the resident's eyes towards exterior strip windows and view beyond.

7

Clavel Arquitectos- Refurbished Murcia Penthouse Corridors

Flooring in public zones is made from slabs of grey phyllite stone. LED strip lighting within coves at the top and bottom of each wall create a floating illusion, and enhance visual reflections throughout.

8

Clavel Arquitectos- Refurbished Murcia Penthouse Exterior

On the exterior terrace, LED strips continue along the facade, highlighting not only the living bubbles, but a sizeable living wall garden. The vertical plantings, arranged from a modular system, create a stark material contrast to the sleek glass "bubbles."

9

Clavel Arquitectos- Refurbished Murcia Penthouse Axonometric

The scale of the penthouse massing and its monolithic facade relate to regional architecture, and the living walls reflect the essence of Moorish hanging gardens. By implementing contemporary materials and sustainable features in a modest but striking scale, Clavel Architects has built a rooftop oasis that is truly timeless.